The present invention relates to a medicinal composition effective for the treatment of cerebrovascular contraction caused by subarachnoid bleeding, etc. The present invention also relates to a method of treating cerebrovascular contraction utilizing such a medicinal composition.
Subarachnoid bleeding occurs in about 12 persons per population of 100,000. About 50% of the patients will die or become disabled at the first attack and, if the patients receive no medical treatment, a further 25-30% thereof will die due to rebleeding.
Treatments commonly given at the onset of subarachnoid bleeding include rest in bed, control of blood pressure, administration of analgesics and sedatives, administration of hemostatic agents, control of encephalic pressure, and surgery.
At the subacute stage, further cerebrovascular contraction takes place in about 40% of the patients. The cerebrovascular contraction at the subacute stage ranks second to rebleeding in importance as regards the prognosis of the patient. That is, the prognosis of the patient is greatly influenced by how well the cerebrovascular contraction can be suppressed after subarachnoid bleeding. No agent is known at present which can prevent or treat said cerebrovascular contraction. Accordingly, an agent which can prevent and/or treat cerebrovascular bleeding has been eagerly desired.